The present invention relates to tool assemblies for evacuating and charging fluid systems such as, for example, the tool assemblies disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,407, No. 6,257,285, No 6,298,886 and No. 6,799,614 which issued to the assignee of the present invention. These tool assemblies are used for evacuating, vacuum testing and filling or charging a fluid system such as a motor vehicle coolant system or an air conditioning system or a fuel tank system. It is also known to evacuate and fill a motor vehicle hydraulic brake system through the master brake cylinder, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,529. Air and hydraulic fluid has also been removed from a motor vehicle hydraulic wheel brake cylinder through a bleeder valve projecting from the cylinder and then recharge brake fluid into the brake cylinder through the bleeder valve, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,513, No. 4,149,560, No. 6,581,905 and No. 7,004,214. Sometimes, the tool has a laterally projecting handle for rotating the tool to unthread and open the bleeder valve, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,513 and No. 7,004,214, or may receive a socket wrench as also disclosed in the '214 patent.
Commonly, the tools which couple with a bleeder valve snap onto or lock onto the nipple or top portion of the bleeder valve. The handle on the tool or a separate wrench is used to open the bleeder valve, and a suction is used to remove any air and/or brake fluid in the brake system. However, the tool assemblies are not suited to vacuum test the brake system for leaks at the end of the evacuation step or pressure fill the brake cylinder with brake fluid since air or hydraulic fluid will leak around the threads connecting the bleeder valve to the brake system. Furthermore, on some motor vehicles, such as a motorcycle or other recreational vehicles, very limited space is provided for accessing a bleeder valve on a wheel brake cylinder and usually there is no space for rotating the coupler tool to rotate the bleeder valve between its open position and closed position.